A Call of Spring
by Senigata
Summary: The year is coming to a close, the new year is approaching, and with it a whole new insight into their life together. Cover by MarleNadia.


**Are ya'll ready for some wholesome pureness?  
Shout out to Denebola_Leo, she's awesome and always finds the time to look over my stuff!**

* * *

**A Call of Spring**

Tifa hummed to herself as she pushed another batch of cookies into the oven. It would be Yuletide soon, so she felt it was only appropriate to get into the spirit of things and make a little something.

Marlene and Denzel would be delighted when they got home. And, even if he never would admit it, Cloud would be, too. She giggled to herself at the mental image of him stuffing his face with cookies as she started to clean up the kitchen counter. A happy sigh escaped her.

It had only been a few months since Cloud had returned to them, but things were going so much better these days that it was hard to believe their little family had almost broken under the combined weight of guilt and sickness.

He was back to how he used to be when it was she who was dealing with depression and it was him that picked her up from the ground. He smiled more often, spent more time with them, brought back little gifts from his travels for the kids and ingredients for her to test out, and most importantly he stopped sleeping in that damned office of his.

A blush rose to her cheeks as she remembered the first night that they had started to share a bed again. Cloud Strife was a very attentive lover.

They were...happy. So it was only natural that after two years they would finally have a proper Yule celebration, without the gloom and doom of their past. He even said something about dressing up. That was a first!

Though, he had been acting a bit strange recently. He was acting jealous towards some of her more forward patrons, which was silly since he knew very well she was only humouring them and would never fall for such cheap flirts. She should feel exasperated at his attitude, but in truth she only felt even more drawn to him now.

She had just cleaned up the cookie cutters when the familiar sound of a bike engine stopping in front of 7th Heaven made her ears perk up. Drying her hands with a towel she walked out from behind the counter just in time for the object of her thoughts to enter.

"Hi!" she greeted him, a little note of excitement in her voice upon seeing him home so early. "I thought you'd be out longer."

"Mhm. Only took jobs that were nearby for the next few days. Wouldn't want to miss the celebration," he said with a smile. Then his smile turned into a frown as he scratched his upper back. Seeing him scratch himself reminded her of her own itching, just below her birthmark, roughly on her own back that she had been having on and off itchiness for the past couple of days. Damn, it was driving her batty!

"You OK?" Cloud asked her when he saw her expression, lowering his hand again.

"Just an itch that I can't reach. Maybe we have to change our detergent," she told him with a sigh.

"Where?" he asked, and Tifa pointed towards the middle of her upper back, just outside her arms reach. "I can scratch it if you want."

"If you wouldn't mind." She gave him a grateful smile and opened her leather top as she turned around, dropping it enough so that he could reach the spot. A brush of fingers followed by a sharp exhale made her knees almost buckle under her as Cloud started to scratch that itch away, and she felt a warmth spread through her entire back that made her want to lean into him.

Her toes curled a little and she had to bite her lip not to moan at how good it felt to finally get rid of that itch.

"Better?" she heard Cloud's voice beside her ear, and Tifa could only nod. He chuckled and slowly removed his hand, and part of her wanted to whine like a dog seeking to be pet, but Cloud pulled her closer and nuzzled the back of her neck affectionately.

Tifa giggled when he started to plant little butterfly kisses against her skin and wriggled herself out of his grip, putting on her leather top as she turned around. She had just zipped it closed, when Cloud gently cupped her cheek and planted a kiss on her lips.

Her eyes fluttered shut and she leaned into the kiss with a sigh. He was rarely _this_ affectionate. Maybe it was a mixture of his newfound happiness and the Yule season that caused this, but she wouldn't complain. After he pulled back, Tifa planted a few more little pecks on his lips before she stepped back, brushing some of her hair back behind her ear.

"I think I should go and check on the cookies I'm baking. Why don't you go and freshen up a little?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "Good idea."

They both walked behind the counter, and Cloud shot her a little look before he turned the other way and up the stairs. Tifa smiled, fingers brushing over her lips as she walked back to the stove. As she took a look inside the oven, she felt her back grow warm before the itch returned with a vengeance.

_Dammit!_ she cursed in her mind. With a shake of her head she looked around to busy herself until it went away again.

Might as well start preparing for the dinner rush.

* * *

Dinner was busier than she expected, but she supposed that was to be expected during Yule. People would have more time to be with their families and take them out to eat and have fun, which was good. 7th Heaven wasn't some seedy bar, they were a family friendly place.

In fact, they had just recently added some new Marlene approved juices to the menu.

"Enjoy your meal," she said to one of those families as she placed their dinner on the table, giving their little daughter a smile.

"Thank you," said the husband. "Pretty busy tonight, is this place going to be open all week?"

"No, we're closed during Yule, I'm afraid," Tifa replied.

"Well of course they are," his wife gently chided him. "She clearly wants to spend some time with her husband and kids, too, without slaving away for other people."

She chuckled a little at the slaving away part, but felt a bit embarrassed at Cloud being called her husband.

"Oh we're not—" but her words were cut off when she glanced over to him over at the bar and saw the glare that he was throwing in their direction. Or specifically at the husband.

"I—Excuse me. Again, enjoy your meal," she said and headed towards Cloud behind the bar, who had lowered his gaze and returned to washing glasses.

"What's up with you?" she asked in a whisper.

He didn't answer at first, instead silently glowering, until he finally said. "I don't like that guy. Did you see how he looked at you?"

"Wha—Cloud, he's married!"

"Still don't like him. Or that guy." He nodded towards one of her regulars.

"He's gay. That's his boyfriend, you know?"

He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again and sighed, throwing the rag he used to wash the glasses on the counter and brushing past her.

"Where are you going?" she asked as he walked into the back.

"We need more Corel wine," he said simply. Tifa huffed in annoyance and went to finish the job he had started. Her eyes darted to the doorway, waiting for him to return. She bit her lip at the feelings of desire that ran through her at his behaviour and tried her best to ignore the heat between her legs when he finally did return to her with a few more bottles and having seemingly cooled off.

The rest of the night he remained behind the bar, filling drinks and chatting with their patrons, but she could still feel his eyes on her, watching her like a hawk.

It aroused her to no end.

When it was finally time to close he helped her clean up, having visibly perked up before tucking in the kids. Tifa watched him with a smile as he promised them that he would really be home early the next couple of days.

Despite what he claimed, he was a pretty good father, and she occasionally joked with him that Marlene had two daddies now. Tifa was sure he would be an excellent father to the children she would give him.

_Wait, what?_ Where had that thought come from all of a sudden?

In the time they had been together now the idea of having a baby never crossed her mind. They had been too busy with building a new life and the ghosts of their past that had weighed them down.

A baby was…

She shook her head, dispelling the thought. All this happiness in the past few months must have gone to her head.

_Maybe eventually..._ Tifa thought, as she watched Cloud interact with the kids and her heart skipped a beat. They were still young.

After putting the kids to bed they both walked side by side towards their bedroom, companionable silence between them. It was only after Tifa had closed the door behind them that she found herself pinned against the door, her lips being captured by Cloud in a deep kiss that she eagerly returned.

The heat between her legs returned in full force and she didn't protest when Cloud carried her to their bed and undressed her.

The way he made love to her was more intense than usual, but it was exactly what they both needed.

After their shared climax, they collapsed onto the bed, sharing kisses and caressing one another as they both slowly drifted off into sleep.

_She was walking towards the town square as she returned from the woods, having bathed herself in the old spring that lied in the center of a small clearing like tradition demanded, her bare feet being warmed by the sun heated cobblestone as she approached the water tower. The town was decorated in flowers, a sign that it was finally becoming spring again, the time to celebrate life._

_Giving the water tower one final glance, she walked past it and towards the other side of town, towards the mountain trail._

_On her way she was greeted by the townsfolk that were waiting there, congratulating her on her big day, and telling her that they hoped her and her soon to be husband would have a long and fruitful union. _

_After receiving everyone's well wishes, she smoothed out the simple gown that she was wearing and started on her way up the mountain._

_Her feet led her up the mountain, and she felt herself grow giddy with anticipation. That she might be in danger never crossed her mind despite Mt. Nibel being home to monsters, because the familiar clicking in the air told her that she was safe. Protected. _

_The mountain protected it's subjects._

**He**_protected them._

_She stopped in front of the cave, the one where her beloved was waiting for her, and without any hesitation she entered it._

Tifa's eyes shot open and she pushed herself up on her elbows, breathing deeply as she looked around. What the hell was that?

She was back in Nibelheim, and it was alive and well, but she didn't recognize anyone she had seen in her dream. And it was so..._real_. Her eyes darted to her feet; she could still feel the heat of the stone on her soles. Like she had actually been there.

The entire thing had felt so familiar, yet strange. Meeting her beloved in a cave on the mountain?

She had heard of such a thing, but only the oldest amongst the townsfolk had ever witnessed it, as it hadn't been practiced anymore when she was a kid.

It was an old tradition, as old as the Nibelese language she had still been taught, or the tradition of young men going out into the world to find wives to bring back home so Nibelheim could grow and prosper. It was silly to call it a tradition when it was kinda natural to do so, wasn't it?

Her friends had gone out into the world, seeking work and obviously wives, only Cloud had been the odd one out and wanted to follow such a lofty goal...

_To impress you_, she heard it echo in her mind. Like someone was speaking to her, despite it being her own thoughts. In the back of her mind she felt something scrape just along the edge of her thoughts. Shaking slightly, her eyes darted over to where Cloud was lying, but found the bed empty.

A slight feeling of panic overcame her, until she spotted him sitting near the window, still naked from their love making. Tifa got out of bed and walked towards him, but he didn't seem to notice her presence as he stared out of the window.

"Cloud?" she asked, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

That seemed to startle him out of his reverie, and he turned to look at her with big eyes, looking as lost as she was feeling right now.

_You were all he ever wanted_, it echoed in her mind again as Cloud slowly hugged her around the waist and rested his head against her stomach, murmuring something in a language neither of them had spoken in so many years.

Tifa's hand traced across his back, over the birthmark on the center of his upper back. The birthmark so similar, yet so different from her own.

Nibelheim was dead. So were the old traditions, right?

But the only answer to that question was the scraping in the back of her mind.

* * *

A huge smile was plastered on her face as she watched Marlene and Denzel play around the huge decorated Yule tree in the middle of the bar.

Six months ago, such a sight would have been impossible in her mind. It made her happy to see the kids happy, and she was glad that they were both enjoying their presents.

Denzel, being such an active boy now, had gotten a bike, and Cloud promised he would practice with him every day until the little boy could ride.

Marlene, on the other hand, had gotten a Chocobo plushie since they knew she adored the big, friendly birds. The first thing she did was to name it _Cloud Jr._, much to Cloud's chagrin.

Her eyes focused on Denzel. He told her that it had been two years since he had a proper Yule celebration, and she felt that familiar feeling of guilt set in over her heart.

They were partially responsible that he was an orphan in the first place. But they had all lost something that day. Friends that she had known for years.

There wasn't a day that she didn't miss them, but it was all the more important for everyone that died that they lived on.

And seeing the happy expression on his face reassured her that they were doing good.

"They seem to be having fun," she heard Cloud say from her side as he approached her. He had changed out of his costume and back into a more comfortable outfit.

"Mhm." She nodded, then looked at the clock on the wall. "It's getting a bit late, though."

Cloud turned towards the kids. "Alright, time for bed."

"Aww, already?" Denzel asked as he turned around.

"Yup. Gotta wake up bright and early for those riding lessons," Cloud said with a small smirk. Seeing Denzel perk up, Tifa knew he didn't need anymore convincing and from the way that Marlene was rubbing her eye, it was high time for her to go to bed, too.

"I'll tuck them in," Cloud said and ushered the kids upstairs.

"Good night," Tifa called after them, then started to clean up the dishes. She almost dropped one when the itch that had been plaguing her for days on end returned with a vengeance. She gritted her teeth, willing herself to dismiss the feeling. It was spreading, she could tell. Like a rash.

Ever since that dream a couple of nights ago it had grown worse, and so did the dreams.

She exhaled a deep breath as the itching subsided, and resumed washing the dishes. It didn't take long for Cloud to rejoin her.

"Did Marlene make you kiss junior good night?" she asked teasingly, and by the blush that was creeping onto his face she knew she had hit the nail on the head.

He sat down on the other side of the counter and proceeded to watch her until she was done. Drying her hands she grabbed the alcoholic eggnog and poured them two glasses, then sat down next to him.

"Thanks," he said as she handed him his glass, and she placed the bottle between them. She watched him as he silently took a sip. Ever since that night the other day he had started to act strange, sometimes withdrawing into himself. But it wasn't like back when he was in the grips of depression, because whenever she or the kids spoke to him it was like he was waking up from a bout of sleep, and then he was back to his usual self.

His itch was also as persistant as her own, and it made her wonder if perhaps he also had the same, strange dreams as her?

She emptied her glass in one gulp, then immediately refilled it with the alcoholic beverage, earning herself a raised brow.

After also emptying that glass she finally managed to gather enough courage. "I've been having dreams recently. Weird ones."

Cloud looked down into his glass, not saying for a moment, before nodding. "So have I," he admitted.

"Nibelheim?"

Another nod. "Mhm."

He took a sip from the eggnog before continuing. "I'm in a cave, a shrine, waiting for my...beloved, to arrive."

"I'm traveling up the mountain towards a cave," she said, and looked at him. He returned her look with such an intensity that she felt like she might burst into flames at any moment. It excited her.

"We're supposed to be united in the shrine of our god. To receive his blessing."

"...Niblrung," she finally said the name out loud that had been scraping and scratching at the back of her mind. A shudder went through her body and she also noticed Cloud flinching a little. She shook her head. Niblrung was the god of Mt. Nibel of old, that protected the people of Nibelheim. "But those are just stories."

Now it was his turn to empty his glass and refill it. "I don't think they're stories, not after everything we've seen on our journey. Even without Jenova we've encountered so many strange things that were _of_ this world. Remember the spirits of the Gi?"

Tifa shuddered again. Yes, she remembered the undead creatures that they had encountered in the caves beneath Cosmo Canyon. "So you're saying it's all real?"

He stared at her again, his eyes glazing over. "I think it's very real," he said and unzipped his top, before turning around. Her heart started to beat loudly inside her chest as he lowered the top to reveal his birthmark, now looking like a raised pink rash that was starting to spread over his upper back.

Gingerly she reached out with her hand to brush her fingertips against it. A hiss escaped Cloud at her touch and, startled, she withdrew her hand again.

Swallowing hard she rose to her feet and headed up the stairs to the bathroom. Inside, she removed both of her tops and turned around, glancing over her shoulder into mirror. And there it was, the same pink rash where her birthmark lay, the only difference being the pattern.

She felt her mouth go dry, and her head snapped towards the door when she heard Cloud appear in the doorway, cerulean eyes going from her rash to meet her worried gaze.

"You have it, too," he said ominously before walking away.

Later that night her dreams were once again haunted by visions of Nibelheim. Tifa tossed and turned restlessly as her dream self walked up the mountain for what felt like the thousandth time already, but this time a voice spoke to her.

No, voice was not the right word; it was much more guttural, more primal, speaking directly to her instincts.

_Return to Me, _it called out to her, slithering through her mind and body like the scales of a primordial serpent. A whimper escaped her. _You are of the mountain. It is part of you, just as it is part of Me._

**_Return to Me_**

Tifa awoke with a start, her heart racing, and she threw the covers away from her body as she all but jumped off the bed. She ran her shaking hands through her hair as she paced up and down. Her eyes turned to their bedroom window, where the lights of the city illuminated the streets below.

A sound from the bed made her jump, and she turned around to see Cloud sleeping restlessly, mumbling something she couldn't make out. Her gaze returned to the window, seeking out the night's sky and focusing westward. Something tugged at her soul, like a soundless song that drew you to its source.

There was no denying it, it was like Cloud said. It wasn't just stories. It was true, and they were being called back to Nibelheim.

She looked back to the sleeping Cloud. Would they answer, or could they resist it?

* * *

The next few days passed as normally as they could, given the situation that Cloud and her were in. They could feel that something was changing inside them, something that made it hard to resist each other.

Every night they would make love, and it thankfully helped a little and quieted down the dreams, but the pull west was always there, beckoning them. But he had become more...possessive of her, like an animal keeping an eye on its mate. And it scared her a little that it _thrilled_ her.

Having the children around helped, as it had a calming effect on both of them. Niblrung adored children. Children for Nibelheim.

Tifa shook her head as she walked upstairs. The new year had just begun a few hours earlier. It was supposed to be a time of celebration.

The corners of her lips turned up into a smile as she entered their living area and saw Yuffie sprawled across the sofa. She had come to visit and to celebrate into the new year with them and must have fallen asleep after spending hours upon hours playing with the kids.

The others sadly could not make it, but Cid, and especially Barret, had promised they would visit tomorrow.

Placing a blanket over the younger woman's body, she silently made her way to their bedroom and softly closed the door behind her. She saw Cloud sitting on the bed, hands folded in front of his face, staring blankly towards the window.

Her eyes fell on his back, where she knew the rash—the markings—were spreading, just like with her.

She sat down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. Her hand reached out towards his back, gently trailing the markings under his shirt. Cloud let out a hiss, not one of pain, no, a pleasant one; one that said "more!".

He jumped a little and Tifa withdrew her hand again as he turned towards her, looking at her as if he only truly noticed her now.

"Tifa..." he mumbled, his hands falling to the edge of the bed. She saw him grip the edge tightly for a moment, before relaxing and slowly starting to lean into her, burying his face into the crook of her neck as she circled her arms around him in a hug.

She closed her eyes as he started to inhale deeply, taking in her scent like it was the freshest sea breeze. Slowly, ever so slowly, one of his hands travelled up her back, brushing against her own markings, and just like him a pleasant hiss escaped her as a wave of pleasure ran through her entire body.

He started to kiss her neck, making his way up to her face, until he captured her lips. A shiver of anticipation ran through her body, only for her to remember the sleeping ninja outside.

"No," she muttered between kisses, as Cloud was opening her top. "We can't. Yuffie is here, what if she wakes up?"

"Screw Yuffie," was his answer, and he attacked her collarbone with kisses. It was really hard to resist right now, but they couldn't afford to be discovered, so she moved her hands from behind his back to his shoulders and pushed him away.

His response was a growl from deep within his throat, and he pushed her roughly against the mattress, grabbing both of her hands and pinning them above her head. He dipped down and started to suck on her neck, all the while deeply inhaling her scent.

"I can't," he gritted out as she struggled against him. He was strong, but so was she. Her training had taught her ways to be stronger than a normal person. She pushed against his grip, gritting her teeth as she did so, trying to keep herself from moaning has he pushed his pelvis against her like an animal in heat.

Tifa managed to push him away enough that he had to look at her, and what she saw sent a spark of terror down her spine.

"I can't—" he repeated again, staring at her with large, glowing amber eyes, shivering all over. "_We_ can't resist Him. We have to do what He wants."

"Cloud, snap out of it!" She shot her knee up, hitting him right in the stomach, causing him to let go of her hands. Pulling her hand back she slapped him across the face hard enough to make him topple off the bed.

Terror was replaced by worry, and she crawled over to the edge to see Cloud lying on the floor. "Cloud! I'm sorry!"

Slowly he pushed himself back up, nursing the cheek she had just slapped and looked at her. His eyes were still wide, but had returned to their mako tint, and he looked at her just like the day after he had attacked Aerith at the Temple of the Ancients. Absolutely terrified of himself.

It broke her heart into pieces to see him like this.

"I—" he got to his feet and all but ran towards the door.

Tifa jumped off the bed, intent on following him, but by the time she had reached the door Cloud was inside his office, slamming the door shut and locking it. It was only the stirring of the sleeping ninja girl down the hallway that stopped her from storming in after him.

Releasing a shuddering breath she returned back inside and closed the door. She rested her back against it and slowly slid to the ground, gripping her head in her hands. The way his eyes looked...like he was under _His_ influence. Was he already too far gone to resist anymore?

How long until she cracked?

No! They needed to resist. They _had_ to resist!

* * *

Tifa had been afraid to find him gone the next morning, but instead of finding a cleared out office she had found him teaching Denzel how to ride his bike, greeting her with his usual smile.

In fact, he had become calmer than the days before; gone were the signs that he had been at war with himself. Like he was back to being at peace with himself.

It was a relief.

At least a momentary one. Soon after, whenever they were alone, his advances started again. Not as forceful as that night, no, much more smarter and more torturous. He would sometimes stop and simply smell her, brushing a few stray fingers across the markings on her back or lean in and stop just shy of her lips, only to withdraw and go back to what he was doing before, leaving her wanting more.

He was driving her crazy!

She leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes and deeply breathing in and out. It had been six days since that night, and even if they managed to avoid suspicion by the others, it was becoming harder for her to keep up the charade.

Cloud came home early all the time now, insisting on helping out in the bar, which of course was his way of saying he would hover around the bar, watching her like a hawk, and it felt like his eyes were burning through her back, into the deepest part of her, stroking the flames of desire even further.

Whenever it became too much she gave an excuse and fled upstairs until she managed to calm down, just like she did now.

_It will pass,_ she told herself in her mind, trying to convince herself, and only barely succeeding these days.

After she had successfully calmed herself she returned back downstairs and stopped in the doorway at the sight awaiting her.

A woman was sitting at the bar, having a friendly chat with Cloud as he washed a few glasses. A very beautiful woman.

Tifa felt her nails dig into the skin of her arm as she saw this _woman_ looking at Cloud, making absolutely no secret about her intentions towards _her _man.

_I think you should teach her a lesson. Show her what it means to encroach on your territory_, that little green eyed snake, coiling around her heart, whispered in her mind. And Tifa really, _really_, wanted to give in, but managed to keep herself in check and instead clapped her hands loudly for everyone to hear.

"I'm sorry, but it's closing time," she said, managing a tight smile for her patrons. Everyone in the bar finished their drinks, but Tifa's eyes were focused on that hussy sitting near Cloud the entire time. She gritted her teeth when she saw the woman give Cloud another smile while she wrote something down on the coaster lying in front of her, then left her money on it before leaving with the rest of the patrons.

Tifa all but stalked after them, then shut the door and locked it in one smooth motion. As she collected the money from the tables, she found Cloud watching her with a raised brow, amusement clear in his eyes. His hand moved over the counter to collect the money and the coaster, looking at it with curiosity.

Grumbling loudly she walked over to him and snapped it out of his hand, ripping it into tiny pieces that she threw back onto the counter. Returning her gaze back to Cloud she found a small smirk forming on his lips, and he threw the rag he was using over his shoulder as he headed upstairs.

"I'll put the kids to bed," he said casually, leaving her to bristle in silence as she cleaned up.

By the time she returned upstairs the kids had already been put to bed and Cloud was standing in the doorway of his office, arms crossed in front of his chest and looking at her with an almost cocky expression.

With one last look he turned around and walked into his office, closing the door behind him, and Tifa was left warring with herself. Her instinct wanted to follow him, to dominate and show him who he belonged to, but in the end that tiny sliver of reason left inside her won out and she returned to their bedroom.

That night the dreams returned. But they were different this time. This time, instead of heading into the cave, she was already inside with Cloud. They were engaged in a carnal dance in front of a statue of their old god, bodies slick from sweat and covered all over with these markings that originated from their birthmarks.

Moans and cries of lust filled her mind until her eyes shot open, leaving her gasping for air. She wiped the sweat from her brow, and she threw the covers from her body, hoping the temperature of the room would cool her down. A fruitless endeavor as the heat inside her body originated from a place much deeper, crying out for its mate only a few rooms away.

Tifa tangled her fingers into her hair and rocked back and forth. When the heat finally became too much she practically ripped the T-shirt she was wearing off her body, revealing her bare chest, the markings from her back slowly snaking across her skin to cover it as well.

She cupped one of her breasts as her other hand went down between her legs, pushing past the waistband of her panties and towards her hot core.

She bit into one of the pillows to keep herself quiet as she furiously pleasured herself, thinking of Cloud, pleading in her mind that he would somehow hear her and kick down the door to take her for himself.

But he didn't, so Tifa was left to her own devices as she slowly lost all her reasoning in the pursuit of her release. It felt like an eternity, when in truth it was just a few minutes, as she finally cried out her release.

After she came down from the high, she was left lying in a heap of sweat and bodily fluids, and she wondered how long she could hold onto her sanity, or if perhaps she was already long gone...

* * *

She held on for a few more days, until the call scraping at her body and soul, and the desire to be close to Cloud finally took its toll on her, and she cracked.

_Enough,_ she called out in her mind as she sat in front of the bar, head resting on the counter. _I can't do it anymore._

It was the morning of the 12th of January, Cloud and the kids had just woken up and were roaming upstairs. Tifa had risen early, not being able to sleep anymore as her body was antsy and hot all over. She couldn't go on anymore. Cloud was right, they couldn't resist. She knew what Niblrung wanted; what they _had_ to do.

She _craved_ it, like a person in the desert craved water.

The visions that she had gotten told her that He had tried to call out to the actors living in the rebuilt town, but they wouldn't do. They weren't of the mountain. They couldn't hear Him properly without the old blood to guide them.

Only they could do it.

Steps echoed from upstairs and Tifa turned to see Cloud enter the bar. She felt the yearning of her body upon his close proximity, like she always did when she was alone with him these last couple of days, as he whispered sweet, dark nothings into her ear before going away.

Her carmine eyes locked with his, and she knew that he understood her without a word: she was done resisting.

His hand went to his pocket, pulling out his phone and dialling a number. After a few moments the phone was picked up on the other side.

"Strife here. I'm sorry, but I need to cancel my deliveries for today. My wife's feeling a bit under the weather today." Cloud gave her a look that sent pleasant shivers down her spine, and her heart jumped for joy at the word _wife_. "Yeah, I'll do it tomorrow. Thanks for understanding."

He repeated the same call a few more times, before he went through his list of contacts. His lips pursed for a second and he looked unsure, but in the end relented and pressed the call button.

"Yuffie," he greeted, making Tifa lift her head off the counter. "I need a favour. Yeah, yeah, rub it in."

"You're still around Kalm, aren't you? Good. I need you to watch the kids for today." He turned towards her. "Tifa's just a bit stressed out and I think she needs a little break...Yeah, thanks. And yes, I know I owe ya one."

With a shake of his head he hung up and put his phone away. He sat down beside her and gently placed his hand on top of hers.

"I'll take care of you," he promised as the steps of the children slowly approached them from upstairs, and another shiver of delight went through her spine at the thought of what that promise meant.

The kids were a little confused at first, but didn't complain about the fact that they would spend the day with Yuffie. As always the kids had a soothing effect on her mind, so she found the strength to hold on for a bit longer.

A few hours later Yuffie arrived, bright and cheery as always, ready to pick up the kids.

"That's a lot of money, Spike," Yuffie said, eyeing the couple of hundred Gil that he handed her.

"Have fun," he said with a shrug. Yuffie's eyes went from Cloud, to Tifa, then back to Cloud, before a huge grin split her face and she let out that weird laugh of hers.

"Weeeeeell, and you two have fun _de-stressing _then," she said and nudged Cloud with her elbow. Tifa felt her face flush at how she had figured them out, even if it wasn't for the right reason.

"Come on you two." The ninja walked over to the kids and placed her hands on both of their shoulders. "Let's say goodbye to them and have some fun!"

"Bye Tifa, bye Cloud," they said in a little chorus. Tifa walked them to the door, waving goodbye to the three of them with a smile. When they were out of eyesight, she closed and locked the door.

Cloud was on her in a flash, attacking the soft flesh of her neck with gentle bites as his hands roamed her body. A gasp of excitement escaped her when she felt his erection against her rump. He was ready, and so was she.

Her hands went down to loosen her shorts, working the buttons one by one, then pushed them down to her ankles, followed by her already soaked panties. Behind her, Cloud was fumbling with his pants, too, growling as the piece of clothing didn't seem to want to follow his command. Finally, after an agonizingly long moment, he pushed his pants and underwear down and lined himself up against her entrance.

No teasing, no foreplay, he roughly pushed himself into her and she let out a moan as he was finally inside her, an almost drunken expression on her face as her walls embraced him, greedily sucking him in. She planted her hands against the door to keep herself from banging face first against it while Cloud fucked her like an animal in heat, as almost two weeks of built up desire were let out of its cage.

_Finally finally finally!_

Her eyelids fluttered as wave upon wave of pleasure shot through her body while Cloud ravaged her, loving every second of it, and she wanted to scream for more but was afraid of passersby outside hearing them, so she clamped her mouth shut.

She felt one of Cloud's hands tangle into her hair, before she was roughly pulled back by it, the momentary pain she felt transforming into pleasure as Cloud once more nipped on the flesh of her neck.

"Cloud..." she gritted out, fingers digging into the metal of the door.

"Tifa," he groaned into her neck and pushed himself even deeper. Tifa felt her mind go blank for a second as she felt him at her deepest, his tip promising to fill her with the seed she was craving. His other hand traveled down her body, combing through pubic hair until his fingertips brushed against clit, making her almost scream out again.

She felt his smirk on her neck, followed by another brush of fingertips, and another, all in time with his thrusts. "Done resisting His call?"

Tifa nodded.

"What?" he asked.

Another nod. Stronger now.

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you..." he said followed by a gentle pinch of her clit.

That did it. "YES!" she cried out, not caring if anyone was listening. They could all know who she belonged to, and be jealous of what she was experiencing right now. "More! Fill me!"

He growled and started to pound her in a frenzy. Shrieks of pleasure ripped through her, her body growing hotter by the second, and she knew that it wouldn't be long from the way that Cloud was bucking his hips that he would bless her with what she was craving.

And with one last stroke he pushed himself as deep as he could, coming inside her with an almost bestial sounding growl. Feeling the hot strings of his cum coating her insides pushed Tifa over the edge, her eyes slamming shut as stars of ecstasy exploded in her mind and her entire body seized up. After riding out his orgasm, Cloud pulled himself out of her and Tifa pressed her legs together, trying to keep as much of his seed inside her as she could, but her entire body started quivering and she dropped to her knees, face covered in an expression of pure bliss.

After a moment Tifa managed to focus her thoughts enough to turn her gaze towards Cloud, who was smiling as he knelt down in front of her. Immediately her arms went around his neck and she covered his face in kisses. "More," she murmured.

Cloud chuckled and gently pushed her away. "Upstairs."

He helped her to her feet, legs still wobbly from her orgasm, and gathered their dropped pants as he led her upstairs. A small whimper escaped her as she felt some of his cum run down her thighs, but she knew she would soon receive more. Inside their bedroom, Cloud threw their pants and underwear to the floor and proceeded to unzip his top.

As he removed it, Tifa's eyes were instantly drawn to his markings that were now covering his back and chest in a lovely pattern similar to a spider web, and she felt that itch underneath her own clothes return, pleading to remove the constricting article. But she had another idea.

Tifa walked towards Cloud and pushed him onto the bed just as he was turning towards her.

"Ack!" it escaped him and he landed right on his butt on the edge of the bed. With a small grin, Tifa dropped to the floor and took hold of his member. She leaned in, planting little kisses along his shaft, before pressing her nose against it, taking in his masculine smell. She lowered herself further and darted her tongue out to circle around his enlarged balls before sucking on one, her mind already fantasizing about all the loads he would give her.

Her lips wandered up towards his glans, kissing and licking it, enjoying the sounds that she created within him, but as nice as that was, she wanted _more_. Shooting Cloud a look, she engulfed him into her mouth and started to bob her head up and down as she sucked on him, moaning as she fully tasted the mixture of their fluids on him. Her hand grasped his heavy balls, gently massaging them and causing Cloud to moan even louder as he was left at her complete mercy. She released him from her mouth, flicking her tongue over his head, then took him in even further.

Tifa moaned as she held him there, massaging his length with the entirety of her tongue, and she could feel his cock starting to expand, a sign that he wouldn't last much longer. With a pop she released him from her mouth, and she gave him a lusty grin, not caring about the mixture of bodily fluids running down her face. Neither did he, as he pulled her towards him and crashed his lips against her, his tongue invading her waiting mouth.

As their tongues danced, his hand found its way to her top and pulled down the zipper. Tifa proceeded to shrug it off of her and threw it to the floor, pulling back from the kiss just long enough to remove the white top she wore underneath, revealing her ample chest to him. She felt pride surge through her as he admired the wonderful spider web pattern circling her breasts, before he captured her lips again. She mewled into the kiss as the markings on their chests touched, and a hot feeling shot through her entire body, right down to her core.

She needed him inside her, _now_!

Tearing herself away from the kiss, she planted her hands on his chest, making him hiss in pleasure as she touched his markings, and pushed him back onto the mattress. With a smirk she straddled him and guided his cock to her pussy.

"Yesssss," she hissed out as she impaled herself on him, throwing her head back. One of his hands went to her hip to guide her movements as she rocked her hips back and forth, while his other one moved to cup her breast. She moaned loudly as his thumb brushed her markings and she started to move her hips faster.

He groaned and pushed his back into the mattress as she planted both of her hands on his chest. She dug her fingernails into his skin and raked them across his markings, and he almost howled in ecstasy, his hips now moving to meet her with thrusts of his own. His eyes shot open, and she gazed upon a sea of black, like the darkest abyss, and inside that sea of darkness were four little amber irises, staring deep into her own in an otherworldly, yet loving way.

Startled, she murmured, "Cloud, your eyes..."

A moment of coherency came over him, just enough to nod and answer her in a husky growl. "Mhm. Amber suits you, too."

Her gaze moved away from Cloud, towards the mirror hanging on the far side of the wall, and as she gazed into her reflection, the same eyes she saw on Cloud were reflected back at her. A large, happy smile split her face and a pair a small fangs greeted her. _A gift from Niblrung._

She turned back towards Cloud, still smiling, and he gave her a little smirk. "þú'st fagr," he said to her.

A rush of excitement went through her at his use of Nibelese, and she started to eagerly bounce up and down his cock. The hand that had been on her hip joined it's twin on her chest and she pressed forward into his touch.

She grinned at him, before removing his hands, intertwining her fingers with his and leaned down to press her chest against his. A pleasant hiss escaped them both as their markings rubbed against one another's, and Tifa leaned in and licked the side of his face.

Cloud gritted his teeth, and he squeezed her hand almost painfully as he moved his hips desperately, his cock twitching inside her. He was nearly there.

"Give it to me," she breathed against his cheek as she met his thrusts, running her fangs across his skin, teasing but never biting. "I want it all!"

His face relaxed, the pained look vanishing as he moaned out, and a wave of warmth flooded her insides. Tifa shot up, back arching as she, too, came from the feeling of his release. She gyrated her hips, trying to milk as much of his precious seed into her as she could.

Tifa released one of his hands and ran it down her body sensuously, her eyes never leaving Cloud's as the little specks of amber glowed in delight. Her hand stopped just over where her womb rested, and she gently stroked the skin, enjoying the feeling of warmth he was giving her insides.

Oh, how she wished his seed would take this instance. But she knew her body; she wasn't ready today. There would be a time and place. So, for now, she basked in the little fantasy of it all.

As they both came down from their post orgasmic high, Tifa licked her lips and gave Cloud a look.

He was still hard.

Before she could do something, Cloud had already sat back up and started to run his tongue all over her chest, sometimes stopping at one of her hard nipples to suck on them. She tangled her fingers into his hair and cooed at his affections, moving her hips a little to better feel him inside, but one of Cloud's hands stopped her.

"Beg," he said, biting her nipple and letting his other hand travel across her back, stroking across her markings.

She mewled at his sweet torture, and tried to get away, but he wouldn't let her, the corners of his lips raised into a smirk.

"P-please, Cloud," she barely managed to utter, a string of saliva stretching between her fangs and teeth as she opened her mouth.

"Please, what?"

"F-f-f-fuck me!"

Upon hearing her words, Cloud grunted, pushed her into the mattress and started to drill into her with abandon.

She raked her nails down his scalp, feet dangling in the air as he fucked her deeply, and whined his name like a mantra. Sweat was running down their bodies, staining the bedsheets with the rest of their bodily fluids, and the scent of him was driving her simply wild.

Instinct took over and she opened her mouth wide, biting down on the crook of his neck, burying her fangs into the flesh, and drawing just a little bit of blood. Cloud released a bestial howl and his ploughing only grew more intense, but her body could take what he was giving, yes, craved it with every fibre of its being even; to be dominated by her mate.

Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she screamed into his neck as her orgasm tore through her body, but Cloud didn't pay any attention as she clamped down on his dick, instead single-mindedly thrusting in and out, seeking his own release. Tifa was reduced to a mess as she clung to him.

"Please please please please!" she begged him, toes curling in the throes of ecstasy. "Ek elska þik!"

A roar rumbled from deep within him and he released his hot load inside her. He collapsed on her and Tifa hugged him to her, holding him close as they caught their breaths.

"Ek elska þik..." she repeated the Nibelese words, her voice just above a whisper.

_I love you._

Cloud lifted his head, looking at her with nothing but love in his, again, mako tinted eyes, then leaned in and gently kissed her.

In the back of her mind, the endless scraping was gone, replaced by clarity she had never felt before, and everything was finally _right_ again. "I understand, now…" She snuggled into his chest. "He gave us a purpose."

Quietly Cloud nodded, still huffing his breaths. He let out a sniffle and looked down at her, moving strands of chocolate brown bangs as she peeked up at him. "We're blessed by Him."

Certainly they had been. She let out a happy little laugh; she hadn't felt this _good_ in years.

"Let's go home." _Their_ Promised Land.

* * *

Tifa was cooking dinner when Yuffie and the kids finally returned.

"We're back—oooh, it smells delicious!"

"Welcome back!" she greeted them, glancing over her shoulder and giving them a cheerful smile.

"Tifa!" Marlene grinned and ran up to her behind the counter.

"Had fun?" she asked the girl, who nodded excitedly as Denzel joined them. Tifa cocked a brow and turned around to face Yuffie. "You didn't feed them too much candy, did ya?"

"Nope, on my ninja honor," Yuffie said with a grin, but Tifa could tell from the twinkle in her eyes that she wasn't being completely honest. Releasing an exasperated sigh, she shook her head. _Guess we're gonna have some leftovers from dinner._

"Where's Spike?" Yuffie asked as she approached the counter.

"Upstairs. He's planning a...trip, so to speak."

A homecoming.

"Hey, Tifa?" Denzel asked and she looked at him. "Are you feeling alright again?"

"Yes!" she replied and knelt down, then pulled both kids into a hug. "Never been better."

"Aww," Yuffie gushed from the other side of the counter, but Tifa ignored her, instead focusing on the kids, giving each a little kiss on the top of their heads.

She couldn't wait to finally give them little siblings to play with.

_Soon, _she thought. _We'll be home again soon._

* * *

**Now, wasn't that fun?  
So this entire little thing is entirely based on Call of the Mountain by Denebola_Leo. If you haven't read it yet, do so, it's good and honestly just pure Lovecraftian fun.**

**It was truly fun to cook up this entire thing, even if part of us will probably burn in hell for it XD.**

**And as always, consider leaving a review. I won't mind the hate kind in this case either! XD**


End file.
